Paper feeding machine



dan. 17, 1939.

H. HALLSTREAM 2,144,057

PAPER FEEDING MACHINE Filed April 2l, 1957 13 Sheets-Sheet l Jan. 17, 1939. H. HALLSTREAM l 27,144,057

PAPER FEEDING MACHINE Filed April 2l, 1937 13 Sheets-Sheet 2 lli. HALLSTREAM 2,144,057 l Jan. 17, 1939.

Y PAPER FEEDING MACHINE 13 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed April 21, 1937 13 sheets-sheet 4 rl, www Y m I. WWB wm. ...I .1 lYJrMill xih\|i!|w||.fr I I| lli Illl lll. IRIII- Jan. 17, 1939. H. HALLSTREAM PAPER FEEDING MACHINE Filed April 21,'1937 m IH Ill

MN lull Jan. 17, 1939. H. HALLSTREAM 2,144,057

' PAPER FEEDING MACHINE Filed April 2l, 1937 15 Sheets-Sheet 5 FAMA/W Vin- 11 fini, 52;* '1ilNVENTO ORNEY' Jan. 17, 1939.

H. HALLSTREAM PAPER FEEDING MACHINE Filed April 2l, 1937 13 Sheets-Sheet 6 'l oRNEYs Jan. 17, 1939. H. HALLsTRl-:AM 2,144,057

PAPER FEEDING MACHINE Filed April 2l, 1937 13 Sheets-Sheet '7 lNVENTOR BY g I l flu f- TTORNEY f' 17, 1939. I H. HALLSTREAM 2 Il nm:- 1m mi, 55 V 1 IW n I N ju i l l I MEER FEEDING MACHINE V Filed April 21, 1937 1:5 Sheets-Sheet 8 INVENTOR Jam 17, 1939. H. HALLSTREAM PAPER FEEDING MACHINE ,Filed April 21, 193+` 13 Sheets-Sheet 9 'INVENTOR www TTORNEYS Jan. 17, 1939. H. HALLSTREAM PAPER FEEDING MACHINE Filed April 2l, 1957 l5 Sheets-Sheet 1,0

INVENTOR BY 'a Jan. 17, 1939.

H. HALLSTREAM PAPER FEEDING MACHINE Filed Aprl 2l, 1937 13 Sheets-Sheet 11 'INVENTOR BY l 2 f TCIRNEYS` Jan. 17, 1939. v H. HALLSTREAM v v2,144,057

' I Y I PAPER FEEDING MACHINE Filed April 21, 19:57V 'i3 sheets-sheet 12 ORNEYS INVENTO i 'El M7 Jan. 17, 1939. H. HALLSTREAM 2,144,057

PAPER FEEDING MACHINE Filed April 21, 1937 13 Sheets-Sheet 13 Il fw lNvENToR BY 'E ,l

Patented .Isn.17,1939

2,144,057 PAPER FEEDmG MAcnnsE Henning Hallstream, Braintree, Mass., assigner,

by mesne assignments, to Dexter Folder Company, Pearl `River, N. Y., a corporation of New I York Application April 21, 1937, Serial No. 138,119

31 Claims.

This invention relates to a machine for separating and feeding sheets of paper and its principal objects are greater certainty of pick-up of individual sheets and reduction of the travelling speed of the paper without reduction of the number of sheets fed per minute.

Improvements shown in the control of the bank feed mechanism are not claimed herein but form the subject of a divisional application In its preferred form the invention is applied to a machine wherein thesheets are picked up from a fanned out bank and fed forward in underlapping relation.

In accordance with the invention the top sheet is lifted at the rear edge and drawn backward for a short distance to free it from the bank, then moved forward to the delivery rolls. Preferably the sheet is winded from behind as its rear edge is lifted. Its rearwardmovement may be terminated by rear edge register mechanism to straighten it perfectly before its forward movement begins. With underlapping or streamline feeders, registering at the rear edge has important advantages.

performed by a' single set of grippers oscillating rearward and forward with the sheet attached;

or one set of grippers may move the sheet rearward and another then move it forward. In the latter case the second set of grippers can engage the sheet further forward. because the sheet has been moved backward from under the previously fed sheet'and because of the lapse of time before the second set of grippers take hold, during which the. previous sheet has been travelling forward.

A buckling device may be employed to assist the grippers to take hold of and separate the top sheet.

The invention will be described in detail in the following specicatlon, in which two illustrative embodiments are described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

In the drawings- Figure 1 is a side elevation of a sheet separating and feeding machine operating with a fanned out bank of sheets.

Figure 2 is a plan view of the sa'me machine, with the loader board removed, with parts broken away and parts omitted.

Figure 3 is a side elevation of the bank feed mechanism, with a part of the side plate broken out for clearness of illustration.

Figure 4 is a section on the line l-l of Figure 2.

in side plates I4. A loader gauge i6 is provided Figure 5 is a plan view of one side of the bank feed mechanism.

Figure 6 is a section onthe line 6--6 of Figure 2, showing the sheet separating means in elevation. ^5 Figure 7 is a plan view of one of the sheet separating mechanisms.

Figure 8 is a section on the line 8-8 of Figure 7.

Figure 9 is a section on the line 9-9 of Figure 10 7, being a simplified view of the sheet separating mechanism, with different positions of the moving parts indicated by dotted lines.

Figure 10 is a simplified side elevation of the sheet separating mechanism, showing particular- -15 ly the combing mechanism in its relation to the other parts, the combing wheel appearing in section.

Figure 1l is an axial section of one of the suction grippers.

Figure 12 is a detail elevation of a part of the driving gear.

Figure 13 is a side elevation of a different embodiment of the invention having two sets of suction grippers.

Figure 14 is a plan view of the same, and

Figure 15 is a section on the line IB-IB of Figure 14. I n

At the top of the machine shown in Figure 1 is a loader board 2 over which travel loader belts 4 trained over rollers 6 and 8 (Figure 2). The roller 6 is mounted on bearing blocks I0 secured g to the forward end of the loader board, while the roller 8 is mounted upon a shaft I2 journalled to align the paper initially upon the loader board 2. Between the side plates I4 is a reversing 'throat of well-known form, represented by a guide I8, one end of which appears above the side plates in Figure 1. A crank handle 20 is secured to a shaft 22, the opposite end of which f bears a pinion 24 meshing with a gear 28 fixed to shaft l2. By rotating the crank handle 2l from time to time the roller l is 'revolved to feed a bank of paper resting on the loader board 2 in preliminarily fanned out condition down through the reversing throat I8, which further fans out the bank.

The paper is received from the reversing throat by a bank feed table 28, over which travel bank feed belts 3B trained over rollers l2 and 34. The rollers 32 are mounted upon a shaft 38 journalled in bearing blocks 38 attached to the rear end of bank feed table 28. The rollers "are mounted on a shaft I0 journalled in bearings I2 at the Bank feed mechanism In describing the bankfeed mechanism reference will be made to Figures 3, 4 and 5, in addition to Figures-l and 2. While not claimed herein, it will be fully described to make clear the function of the cooperating elements of the separating and sheet feeding mechanisms. At the left side of the machine there is pivoted upon shaft 48 a rocker arm 44, which carries on a pin 46 a pivoted pawl 48 engaging with the teeth 58 of a ratchet wheel 52, which is fxedto shaft 48. The pawl is held against the ratchet wheel by a spring 54 stretched between a pin 56 on the pawl and a pin 58 on the rocker arm 44. The pawl bears a nose 68 which can be grasped to pull the pawl back from contact with ratchet wheel 52, throwing spring 54 above the center of pin 46, so that the pawl comes to rest in an inoperative position against a pin 62 projecting from the face of rocker arm 44. The rocker arm 44 is intermittently rocked by a driving mechanism mounted between two side plates 64 and 66 at the front end of the machine. On a stationary shaft 68 projectinginward from side plate 64 is pivotally mounted a rock lever 18 having a `slot arm 44. The forward end of lever 18 is connected by a pin 88 to the lower end of a spring 82, the upper end of which is hooked over a stationary pin 84 on side plate 64.. The lever 18 has a hub 86 from which projects a rigid arm 88 bearing a pin 98 which-.pivotally supports a roller 92. This roller bears against a cam 94 xed to a shaft 96, which is revolubly mounted in bearings inv side plates 64 and 66. The'shaft'96 is rotated by a driving mechanism to be described later 'and cam 94,`with the cooperation of spring 82,' causes lever 18`to rock and oscillate the rocker arm 44, thus turning ratchet wheel 52 by pawl 48 and feeding forward the bank of paper.

The feed of the bank of paper is not continuous, but is interrupted when the leading edge, of thebank reaches a vcertain position at the forward end of the bank feed table. The interruption of the feed of the bank may be effected by afeeler mechanism now to be described.

At the forward end of the bank feed table 28 there extends Yacross the 'machine between the side plates 64 and 66 a shaft 98 which carries lower delivery rolls |88. Upper drop rolls |82 are mounted vupon swinging arms |84 supported on a shaft |86 pivotally mounted in the side plates 64 and 6 6. The delivery rolls |88 and |82 receive the paper from the sheet separating mechanism to be described later. Onvshaft 98,

near the center line of the feeder, there is mount- ,ed a bracket |88, which has a depending arm ||8 recessed to iit over stay bolt ||2, and a rearwardly extending arm ||4 provided with a bearing ||6 embracing a shaft ||8, which is mounted ybetween the side plates 64 and 66. The feeler the side plate 64 and bracket |88. The shaft has fixed to it another arm |32 connected at its end to a rod |34. The upper endof -rod |34 is connected at |36 to a lever |38 pivotedaupon a shaft |48 mounted between the arms of a bracket |42. The bracket is xed by set screw |44 upon a stay bolt `|46 mounted between the side plates 64 and 66. The outer end of lever |38 .bears a roller |48, which rides upon a cam-|58 vmounted upon drive shaft 96. Lever |38 has'an arm |52 extending to the left, the end of which is articulated to a rod |54 guided for vertical movement in a hole in the bottom plate of'bracket |42. A compression spring |56 surrounding rod |54 tends to rotate lever |38 clockwise, so that its roller |48 constantly rides upon cam |58; The hub |58 of lever |38 has a cam nger |68, which bears against a cam finger |62 of a lever |64 pivotally mounted on a shaft |66 extendingfacrossthe arms of bracket |42. This lever is held against cam finger |68 by a spring |68 connected at its opposite end to a pin |18 on lever |38. Lever |64 has a downwardly extending arm |12 which cooperates with the outer end of arm 88 to interrupt the rocking motion of that arm at times. The mechanism just described operates'in the following manner:

Assuming the paper feed mechanism 'to be in operationthat is, the arm 44 rocking and stepping the ratchet wheel 52 forward, the bank of paper will be advanced until the leading edge of the bank comes against trip lever |28 and moves it tothe left, from its dot and dash line position of Figure 3 to its full line position. This motion swings stop arm |24 to the left and allows arm |28 to rock downward and to the full line position, and rod |34 to descend as roller |48 rides onto the lower part Vof cam |58. The downward movement of rod |34 and lever |38 attached thereto causes cam linger |68 to swing to the left against cam nger |62, moving the lower arm |12 of lever |64 over the end of lever 88. Thus the lever 88 is prevented from following cam 94 and the rockingvmotion of arm 44 is stopped. When paper has been removed from the bank sufficiently to allow trip lever |28 to return to the normal position shown in dot and dash lines, the stop arm |24 prevents downward movement of rod |34 and consequently the lever arm |12 remains-out of the path of lever arm 88, which is then free to execute its rocking movements under the control of `cam' 94. The forward feed of the paper is thus resumed and it will be evident that the mechanism will operate in such a way that there will be little variation in the position of the top sheet of the bank of paper.

To prevent thesheet of paper which is. being fed forward after separation from the bank from riding upon the top of finger |28 and holdingrthe finger toward the left, thus interfering with the normal control of the bank feed, there is provided a finger guard |14 pivoted at |16 on bracket |88 and normally held by a spring |18 attached to its arm |88 so that its upper hooked end |82 overhangs the top of finger |28 and provides /a support upon which the paper can glide as it moves into the delivery rolls |88, |82. If the finger guard |14should remain constantly in its full line position, the leading edge of the paper might become hooked under its end |82. To prevent this the guard is momentarily swung to the left to its dot and dash line position, where its end |82 is within the periphery of delivery roll |88. For this swinging motion the guard is provided with an arm |84 restingsupon-amactuating arm '.roiler |96 which rides upon a cam |98. The roller is pressed against the cam by-a spring 299 surrounding guide rod 292V attached at 294 `to the lei't` end of lever |94 and guided for vertical movement in a hole in the bottom plate of bracket |42. The cam |98 is designed to raise lever |94 a moment before the paper begins its forward movement after separation (the drive of this arm being synchronized with thatv of the sheet separating mechanism) and to hold the lever in its elevated position, with guard |14 swung to the left, until the paper has entered the delivery rolls |99, |'92. 'I'he -guard |14 is then rey stored by spring |18 to its normal position over ilnger |29.

Sheet separating mechanism The principle upon which the separator mechanism operates is to lift the top sheet at its rear edge, then to move the sheet backward by its rear edge, thus causing it to ride up upon the air Vto vso

which enters between it and the sheet below, and then to'move it forward. Preferably a blast of air is sent under the sheet as its rear edge is raised, to shake it loose from the bank. By the time the rearward movement is ended the sheet is raised clear of the pile over its whole surface and is supported upon the air beneath it. It is 'then fed forward, either by the same means used to lift the` rear edge from the pile, or by another f set of grippers which grasp it vfurther forward. The forward movement of the sheet is assisted by the forwardly moving current passing under it. The volume of air blown under the sheet may be increased by additional jets which become ei?- fectlve as soon as the rear edge of the sheet has been raised to the limit of its upward movement. 'Ihe sheets are preferably fed in such rapid succession that the sheet previously fed has not passed the front edge of the sheet in the act of being separated, when the latter begins its forward movement. The rearward movement of the sheet may be used for registering the sheet, by stopping therearward movement by means of trip fingers positioned so as to engage the rear edge at diilerent points and to interrupt the rearward movement at each point independently.

The separator mechanism of the machine shown in Figures 1 to 12-has two pairs of suction -grippers controlled independently by two actuating mechanisms. At least two grippers are needed to hold the paper in proper alignment, but

more may be used if desired. Reference will now be made to Figures 6-12, in addition to Figures 1 and 2. The separator mechanisms are .sup-A lends of which Vareilxed two gears 2I8 meshing with teeth 229 on bars 2|9. The shaft 2|6 is provided with a crank handle 222, whereby it can be,.tur`ned to make gears 2|8 travel upon the teeth 229 and thus adjustthe separator mecharator heads.

'I'he carriage can locked in position on the bars 29 by a set screw 224.

There are two separator heads mounted upon l the carriage 296, 296a, 298 located respectively at A and B (Figure 2), the head A being shown, while the head Bftis omitted as being merely repetitions. Each head comprises a main bracket 226, the general outline of which appears bestin Figures 1 and 9. The bracket 226 is secured by two bushes 228 and 239 to tubes 232 and 234 mounted to slide vertically in the bored ears 236, 236a and 238 of a bracket 249. The body of the bracket 249 comprises a sleeve 24| which is slidably mounted upon the tube 298 and which provides for the lateral adjustment of the sepa- The sleeve 249 is locked upon the tube 298 by a set screw 242. Rotary movement of the sleeve 24| upon tube 298 is prevented by a key 244 engaging in a groove 246 of the tube 298, the key being held in place by set screws 245.

The separator head is supported directly upon the bank of paper by a roller 248 mounted upon ashaft 259 between the arms 252 of bracket 226. The tube 234 houses a counterbalance spring 254 (Figure 9), which is connected at its bottom to a pin 256 extending across the bottom of tube 234 and at its top is hooked over a pin 259 projecting through a slot 269 in the tube 234. The pin 258 is inserted through-a bore 262 in the supporting ear 236e and is secured therein by a set screw 264. The tube is vertically slidable in ears 236e and 238 to allow the position of the separator head to change in accordance with the height of the bank of paper. A portion of the weight of the separator head is supported by the counterbalance spring 254. The tube 232 also guides the head for vertical movement, but this tube is guided only in an upper ear 236, to avoid diiliculties of alignment which would be caused by passing it through a lower ear similar to ear 238. The separator heads can be raised from the bank of paper by a lever 266 fixed to a shaft 268 mounted in the riders 296, 296e and extending through the supporting brackets 249 of the-two heads. Iwo arms 219 are keyed to shaft 268 beside the respective brackets 249, only one of these arms appearing in-the drawings. Each has a link 212 pivoted to its end by a pin 214, this link having a slot 216 in which engages a pin 218 on the side of bracket 226. By depressing lever 266 the links 212 are raised so that the bottom of the slots 216 engage pins 218 and raise the separator heads. Normally the separator heads are free to rise and fall, pins 218 moving in slots 216. The arms 219 are free to move axially on shaft 269 and are held in abutment with brackets 249 by hook-shaped retainers 289 on the brackets.

The active elements of the separator head are suspended upon a shaft 282 supported in bearings 284, 2l4a at the upper end of bracket 226. These active elements comprise suction grippers 288, 2880, a suction gripper lever 288, and an actuating lever 288. The suction grippers and the suction gripper lever are both ilxed to shaft 282, which is rotatably mounted in its bearings 284, 284a, while the actuating lever 299 is revolubly mounted upon shaft 282 by means of a hub `28|. The suction grippers are ilxed to the shaft 282 by clamps 292, 282e and rods 294, 294a secured to bushes 286, 296e on the sides of the 4 cylinders 889 of suction grippers 286, 286a. The suction gripper lever 288 is nxed to shaft 282 'by a pin 298 extending through its hub 399. A

niSm longltldil'llly Over the Bank feed-table nspring 882, with its two ends hooked over screws 75 3f03 and 306, urges levers 288 and-280 together scissors fashion, up to the point where an abutment 304 on lever 288 strikes an abutment 306 of lever 280.

The hub 281 of lever 280 has projecting to the left (Figure 6) from it a pair of arms 3818 (Figure 7) connected by a pin 310 with the upper end of a rod 312. The lower end of this rod is guided in a hole in a plate 314 which forms a partv of bracket 226. Surrounding the rod 312 is a compression spring 316 which tends to swing arms 308 upward and thus to throw lever 280 to the left. Projecting to the right from hub 291 is an arm 318 connected by a pin 320 to .a yoke 322. The forked lower end of yoke 322 is guided upon a cam-shaft 324. On the pin -326 theyoke carries a roller 328 which rides upon a cam 380 fixed to shaft 324 by a set screw 334 extending through its hub 336. The cam and the yoke work in opposition to spring 316 to cause the lever 280 to execute rocking movements of constant extent for each sheet of paper fed.

It is from these rocking movements of the actu-v ating lever 280 that the movements of the suction grippers are derived. At its lower end the actuating lever 280 bears a pawl 338 fixed to ahub 340 rockably mounted upon a pin 342 in the lower end of the actuating lever. The pawl 338 is in position to engage in teeth 344 of a plate 346 mounted on the lower end of lever 288 by screws 341 (Figure 6). The pawl is normally held in engagement with teeth 344 by means of a spring 348 connected at one end to an arm 350 onv hub 340 and at its other end to a pin 352 on lever 280. 'I'he pawl 338 determines the relative an gular position of levers 288 and 280 during the leftward movement of these levers. The levers move in general together, but have a relative movement to compensate for the slightly diiierf ent positions at which the suction grippers enwhich is clamped an inner bush 362 by means of a screw 384 which draws together the bifurcated lower end of cylinder 360. Slidably guided in bush 362 is a hollow piston rod 366 bearing in its upper end a mushroom piston 368 and at its lower end a suction cup 310 secured to the piston rod by means of a collar 312 and a screw cap 314. In the upper position of the piston rod, flange 316 of collar 312 bears against flange 318 of bush 362. 'I'he bore '380 of piston rod 366 opens at its upper end. above the piston 368 and at lits lower end into suction cup 310. The piston 368 has a bleed port 362 providing limited communication between the spaces on the two sides of-the piston. The upper end of cylinder 360 is closed by a plug 384 held by a screw 386. The space 388 within the cylinder and below the piston is connected with exhausting means through a hole 380, into which is screwed a pipe connection 488 (Figure 8). A spring 394 normally holds piston 368 in its upper position. The device operatesas the bank of paper.

tles the iair sufdciently to reduce the pressure in space/388 low enough to cause the piston 368 to be forced down by the substantially atmospheric pressure above it. This motion is utilized to bring the niction cup 310 against the top sheet oi sucked .against lcup 310, bleed port 382 rapidly equalizes the pressure above and below piston 368,

so that spring 394 asserts itself. raising piston 53,68-,toits upper position. The. evacuation of space '388 is discontinued at the moment the paperissnatchedaway from the suction cup by the delivery rolls |00, 102. Atmospheric pressure then prevails on both sides ,of the piston 368 and the piston remainsin its upper position. When the suction is turned on to space 388 again the piston 368 is pulled down in the manner previously described, forcing suction cup 310 into contact with the paper, whereupon the operation is repeated. 'I'here is pivotally attached to the lower'. end vof lever 288; by means of a pin 386, a ratclt'bar 388, the right end of which is guided 'byifagslot 486 on a roller 402 mounted upon a flanged pin 404 of bracket 226. This ratchet bar is provided on its upper edge with teeth 406 with which cooperates a pawl 408 clamped by a hub 418 to one end of a small shaft 412 rotatably mounted in bracket 226. The other end of shaft 412 has fixed toit by'a clamp 414, a finger 416, which moves between the forked arms of a guide 418, 420, fastened tightly by clamp 422 to a supporting stud 424 projecting from bracket 226. When the lever 288, and suction gripper 286 are moving to the right, in a manner to be described,

after the paper has been picked up by the suction gripper, their i motion continues until the rear edge of the paper entering between guides 418, 420 strikes finger 416. This throws pawl 408 into engagement with the teeth 406 on ratchet bar 388, stopping the ratchet bar and the lever 286, as well as the suction gripper which moves with it.

The'movement to the right'of lever 286 is con-v trolled by a cam 426 fixed to shaft 324 by a set screw 426 passing through its hub. Aroller 430 revolubly mounted upon a pin 432 at the end of an arm 434 of lever 288 rides upon cam 426 at certain times to control the movement of lever 288 independently of the movement .of lever 260.

'I'he'rear edge of the top sheet oi' the bank is clamped by blower clamp feet 436 (Figures 8 and 9) one on eachseparator head. Each clamp foot is in the form of a blower nozzle at the bottom and has in its solid upper part a slot 438 guided upon a roller 440 revolubly mounted on bracket 226 by a pin 442. On the clamp foot above the slot is any arm 444 articulated at 446 to the outer end of a lever 448 which is pivoted at 460 upon the bracket 226. The lever 446 carries a roller 462 which rides upon a cam 464 fixed to shaft 324 by a set screw 466 passingl through its hub 468. 'I'he lever 448 is pulled down by.a spring 460 engaged vover a screw 462 on the lever and a pin 484 on bracket 226. The cam 464 is shaped to give the Aclamp foot an upward and rearward movement position to clamp the sheet below. The nomiclike lower end of the clamp is provided with a nipple 466 for the connection oi' a compressed air hose-f -At the instant' the'clairp foot returns to itsposition on the paper bank a blast of air is When the sheet of paper is emittedfrom its under the sheet,which has been raised -at its rearsedge by' the suction grippers. Supplemental blower nozzles 468 and 466a are provided at an elevation slightly above the bank rearward for a short distance to bring the rear of paper to supply a larger volume of air beneath the sheet than the nozzles 438 could'supply alone. These auxiliary blast nozzles 488, 488e are connected by elbows 410, 418e to the lower end of pipes 412, 412e. The pipes 412, 412e are secured by clamps 414, 414a to rods 418, 418m, screwed into sockets 418, 418a and clamped therein by lock nuts 488, 488e. There is also clamped upon rod 416e, by a clamp 482, s. short section of pipe 484, to which is connected the hose 485 leading to nipple 488 on the clamp foot.

Extending between the two riders 288, 288a are three pipes 4,88, 498, 492. These are provided respectively with nipples 488, 48E and 498, connected respectively by hose .connections (not shown) with nipples 484, 498, 488. The pipes 888 and 498 carry compressed air while the pipe 482 is a vacuum pipe. They are connected respectively by pipes 508, 582, 584 with nipples 508, 588, 5H) of a valve mechanism 5l2. The valve mechanism is synchronized with the gripper driving' mechanism by a gear comprising a sprocket chain 5l4 travelling over a sprocket wheel 5i8 on shaft 5l8 of the valve mechanism 5i2 and a sprocket wheel 528 of main drive shaft 88. The shaft 88 has keyed to it a gear 522 meshing with a pinion 524 on a shaft 528. This shaft is driven by meshing bevel gears 528, 530 from a drive shaft 532 lead- `ing from the press with which the sheet feeding mechanism is associated.

The cam shaft 324 of each separator head is connected by bevel gears 534, 538 with a shaft 538 mounted in bearings 548, 542 on bracket 228. This shaft is connected by a gimbal joint 544 with a telescopic shaft 54E, the forward end of which is connected `by a gimbal joint 548 with a spiral gear 558 mounted on a shaft 552 which rotates in a bearing 554 forming a part of a bearing block 558 suspended on the main drive shaft 86 and a second non-rotating shaft 558. The vspiral gear meshes with a spiral gear 580 keyed to the main drive shaft 88.

There may be provided on the separator head a combing device. Such a device is shown in detail in'Figure 10 in association with the adjacent parts of the separator head. A combing Wheel 582 is provided on its periphery with rollers 584, in the well-known manner. The combing head is mounted by its hub 588 upon the end of a shaft 588 to which the hub is secured by a set screw 510. The shaft 568 is rotatably supported by a sleeve 532 provided with a forked bracket 514 (Figures 2 and 7) rockably mounted upon a shaft 518. Standing up from the hub 518 of bracket 514 is an arm 588 bearing a pin 58! which carries a roller 582. The roller is held against a cam 584 fixed on cam shaft 324 by a spring 588 hooked over a screw 588 at the top of arm 588 and a screw 598 on bracket 228. This mechanism serves to dip the combing wheel into contact with the top sheet during a certain interval for each sheet fed. The combing wheel is rotated by a gear 592 fixed to cam shaft 324 and driving a pinion 584, which is integral with a bevel gear 598 meshing with a bevel pinion 588 fixed to shaft 588.

The general scheme of operation of the paper separating mechanism is as follows:`

The suction cups 310 of the two separator heads pick up the paper when in their lower central position a (Figure 9). They may engage the paper at slightly varying distances from the rear edge of the sheet, depending upon the position of the top sheet at the time. The suction cups are then to be raised to position b and moved edge of the sheet to a dennite line separated by a predetermined distance from the delivery rolls |00, 102; this line being defined by the triggers 4l8. The motions of the suction grippers are derived from the actuating levers 288 through the suction gripper levers 288. The actuating levers 280 have a constant oscillating motion imparted to them by cams 330 and springs 3H. This motion is just suilicient to swing the suction grlp per levers 288 forward through a distance which will carry the sheet of paper from its rearmost position determined by triggers 4&8 to the position in which its front edge is engaged by delivery rolls |00, l02'. Since the suction cups 810 may be located at different points on different sheets of paper, it is necessary to provide a variable connection between the actuating levers 280 and the suction gripper levers 288. For this reason the positive connections between these levers are interrupted during the rearward motion of the suction grippers from position b to position c (Figure 9) and are reestablished in a relation dependent upon the position in which the suc tion grippers are stopped in their rearward movement. Thus, while the actuating levers always swing between the same limits and the sheets of paper are all moved forward through the same distance from their rearmost positions, the suction gripper levers swing between different limits depending upon the location of the top sheet when it is picked up.

The operation will now be described in detail.

Assuming the suction cups of both separator heads to be in their lower central position, as shown at a in Figure 9, the top sheet of the bank is drawn against the suction cups, assisted. by the buckling action of the combing wheels 562,` which are dropped into contact with the paper slightly prior to this time. The closure of the suction cups by the paper causes the pistons 388 with their attached cups 318 to be raised in the manner described, to position b. At this time the actuating levers 290 have moved to their extreme` right position, while the levers 288 are restrained from moving to the right by cams 428 bearing against rollers 430. The cams 428 are at this moment turned so that the rollers 438 ride down onto the lower part of the cams, thus allowing levers 288 to be drawn to the right by springs 302, carrying with them suction grippers 288, 286e., until the rear edge of the paper, which has been guided by lips M8, 420, strikes triggers 4i5 and throws pawls 488 into engagement with the teeth 488. This stops the ratchet bars 388 and also the levers 288. At this time the suction cups are in the position indicatedat c. If the paper is not4 squarely positioned, one side of the rear edge will strike one of the triggers 4l8 before the other and thus stop the suction grippers of the head on that side, while the suction grippers on the other head continue their motion, swinging the sheet of paper around into square position, where it is completely stopped by engagement of the other side of its rear edge with the other trigger 418. At about this time cams 338 begin to recede from rollers 328, allowing springs 3i8 to rock actuating levers 280 clockwise. In their extreme right-handposition the arms 354 of pawl clamps 348 have been engaged by set screws 358, so that pawls 338 are swung out of contact with teeth 344. As soon as the actuating levers 290 begin to move clockwise, the arms 354 leave set screws 358 and pawls 338 drop into the teeth 344. Thus the suction gripper levers 288 are carried with the actuating levers during their further movement to the left. The suction grippers 286, being rigid with the levers 288, also move to the left, carrying with them the sheet of paper. The movementl continues until cams 330 begin to rise again, which occurs at the moment the forwardedge of the sheet is engagedd by delivery rolls |00, |02, as the suction cups reach position d (Figure 9). At

this instant the suction valve in valve mechanism SI2 relieves the vacuum in cylinders 388 and since atmospheric pressure prevails on both sides of piston 368, the suction cup remains in raised position by the influence of spring 394.

The levers now swing back to their central position due to the roller 328 riding up on cam 330. The levers 280 continue on toward their extreme right hand positions, but in the meantime the high parts of cams 426 have again come opposite rollers 430 and the levers 288 are stopped in their central positions, with the suction cups at position b. The pawls 338 ratchet over teeth 344 and springs 302 are stretched. Near the end of the rightward movement of levers 296 arms 364 of pawl clamps 340 engage set screws 356 and the pawls are raised above the teeth 344. Thus the levers 288 are free to move to the right until individually stopped by pawls 408 when the rear edge of the paper strikes the triggers 4 I6. Meanwhile, during the dwell of the levers 268 in central position the valve mechanism SI2 opens the vacuum pipe to the suction again and suction cups 310 are forced down on to the paper bythe atmospheric pressure above pistons 368. When the suction cups are closed by the paper the pressure is equalized in the cylinders 360 and springs 396 raise the suction cups from position a to position b. At about this time the rollers 430 begin to ride down on to the low part of cams 426.

The moment before the suction cups 310 raise the rear edge of the sheet of the clamp feet 436 are raised from the paper by the action of cams 454 on levers 448. As soon as the rear edge ofthe sheet has been raised the clamp feet are dropped upon the bank of paper again and at this instant a blast of air is emitted from the nozzle of the foot by the operation of the valve mechanism SI2. Shortly after the valve mechanism operates to senda blast of air out of. noz- `zles 468, 468a, so that the sheet is iioated free of the bank: The separating mechanism may operate with suiiicient rapidity to feed the sheets forward in underlapping or streamline relation, the cams 330 being designed to swing the suction grippers forward at the same speed as the stream of paper is travelling through the delivery rolls.

Instead of having all the pick-up and feed movements executed by a single set of gripper devices, the pick-up and rearward movement of the sheet may be carried out by one set and the forwarding movement by another. A machine of this type is shown in Figures 13-15. A large part of the mechanism shown in these figures is the same as in Figures 1-12 and will therefore not have to be described again. A pick-up suction gripper 600 is mounnd on the shaft 282 rigidly in the same way as in the other form of the invention. The movement of this suction gripper is controlled entirely by a cam 602 and a spring 604, through the instrumentality of a suc- 'tion gripper lever 606 provided on an arm 608 ses 'slotted at '62a to ride upon a pm su -on bracket 226. Cooperating with the teeth 628 of this ratchet bar is a pawl 626 fixed to a clamp 628 which is secured to a small shaft 636 revolubly mounted in a bearing in` bracket 226. The

opposite end of shaft 630 carries a clamp'632 bearing a finger 636 which projects between the arms of a forked paper guide 636,636, as in the form of the invention first described.' The pawl 626 yis normally held out of :engagement with the ratchet teeth 626 by a spring (not shown) and is thro'wr. into engagement with the litatchetbar when struck by the rear edge of the paper, thus arresting therearward movement of the suction gripper 606. As before, there are two separator heads and the suction gippers 600 on the respective heads are independently stopped, thereby serving to register the sheet by its rear edge.

Upon' a shaft 666 rotatably mounted in bearings 642, 646 of bracket 226 is xed a clamp 646. A front suction gripper 648 is-attached to clamp 646 by a rod 650 rigidly secured to both suction gripper and clamp. The suction gripper 668 can be placed upon either side of bearing644. An arm 662 is also fixed to shaft 640 by a pin 654 passing through its hub 656. This arm 652 is connected by a pin 656 with a link 660, the rear end of whichy is articulated by a pin 662 to thedownwardly projecting arm 664 of a threearmed lever 666 rotatably, mounted upon shaft 282. Forwardly projecting arms 668 of lever 666 are connected by a pin 610 with the upper end of a rod 612, the lower end of which is guided in a hole 613 in a plate 614. extending laterally from one side of bracket 226. A rearwardly projecting arm 61.6 of the three-armed lever 666 is connected by a pin 618 with a yoke 680, the forked lower end of which-is guided upon cam shaft 326. The yoke 680 carries a roller" 682 by means of a pin 684, which roller bears upon cam 686 fixed to shaft 324.

The pick-up and feed mechanism just described operates in the following manner:

Assuming the suction grippers 600 to be at the forward limit of their movement, the suction grippers 666 will be returning to the rear, or will have reached their rearmost position. A valve mechanism (not shown) similar to the valve mechanism 6l?, will operate to apply suction to the suction grippers 666. This will cause the suction grippers 608 to dip into contact with the paper and then to rise, in the manner previously described. The air blasts 636 and combing rollers 562 operate the same as before. The cams 602 now allow suction grippers 600 to move towardv the rear carrying the paper into the guides 636, 638, until it strikes triggers 634 and throws pawls 626 into the ratchet teeth 624, stopping the rearward movement of the suction grippers 600. Shortly thereafter the suction grippers 648, which have been Waiting in their rearmost position, have suction applied to them by the valve mechanism, so that they dip and grasp the paper, the suction being cut off from the grippers 600 at the same time. The suction grippers 648 are now thrown forwardV by springs 612, the rollers 682 riding on to the low part of cams 686. At the forward end of the movement the front edge of the paper is picked up by the delivery rolls and suction is cut ofi' from the grippers 648, which are thereafter restored to their rearmostpositions. Meanwhile the suction grippers 600 have ben`moved -forward in readiness to pick up another sheet.

This form of the invention has the advantage into action on the next sheet of paper.

The invention has been particularly described as appliedto separating and feeding sheets from a fanned out bank, but it can equally well operate. on a pile.

I claim:

1. A machine for separating sheets from the top of a pile one at a time and feeding them forward, comprising separating gripper means at `the rear edge ofthe top sheet movable upwardly, rearwardly, and forwardly; and actuating means for causing the gripper means to seize the top sheet at the lowermost position of said means and for imparting said three movements to said gripper means in the sequence named.

2. A machine for separating sheets from the `top of a pile one at a time and feeding them forward, comprising separating gripper means at the rear edge oi' the top sheet movable upwardly, rearwardly, and forwardly; actuating means for causing` the gripper means to seize .the top sheet at the lowermost position of said means and for imparting said three movements to said gripper means in the sequence named, and means for winding the top sheet during the rearward movement of said gripper means.

3. A machine for separating sheets from the top of a pile one at a time and feeding them forward, comprising `separating gripper means at the rear edge-of the top sheet mounted to reciprocate along the direction of feed, means to reciprocate said gripper means adapted to hold said gripper means in an intermediate position in the course of `its rearward movement,` and means to cause said gripper means to seize the top sheet adjacent its rear edge while insaid intermediate position and to raise said gripper means, in order to lift the rear edge of the top sheet before the rearward movement of said gripper means is resumed.

fi, A machine for separating sheets from the" top cf a pile one at a time and feeding them forward, comprising separating gripper means at the rear edge of the top sheet mounted to reciprocate along the direction of feed, means to reciprocate said gripper means adapted to hold said grippermeans in an intermediate position in the course of its rearward movement, means to cause said gripper means to seize the top sheet adjacent its rear edge while in said intermediate position and to raise said gripper means, in order to lift the rear edge of the top sheet before the rearward movement of said gripper means is resumed, and means for winding the top sheet during the movement of said gripper means rearward from said intermediate position.

5. A machine for separating sheets from the top of a pile one at a time and feeding them forward, comprising gripper means at the rear edge of the top sheet movable upwardly, rearwardly, and forwardly; actuating means for imparting said three movements to said gripper means in the sequence named, and rear edge register means for terminating the rearward movement of said gripper means.

6. A machine for separating sheets from the top of a pile one at a time and feeding them forward, comprising separating gripper means at the rear edge of the top sheet, means for moving said gripper means forwardly and rearwardly along the direction of feed, means for causing said gripper means to pick up the rear edge of the top sheet before the rearward movement of said gripper means is completed and to raise it above the level of the top of the pile, and means to cause said gripper means to release the sheet on the following forward movement.

'7. A machine for separating sheets from `the top of a pile one at a time and feeding them forward, comprising gripper means engageable with the top sheet of the pile near its rear edge and movable away from the plane of the top of the pile and rearward, means for winding the top sheet as it is raised from the pile, means for arresting the rearward movement of the sheet, and means for moving the sheet forward.

8. A machine for separating sheets from the top of a pile one at a time and feeding them forward to delivery rolls; comprising gripper means at the rear edge of the pile; means for causing said gripper means to engage the top sheet of the pile near its rear edge and raise it above the top of the pile; means to move said gripper means rearward, then forward, and means for arresting the rearward movement of said gripper means when the rear edge of the sheet of paper is at a predetermined distance from the delivery rolls.

9. A machine for separating sheets from the top of a pile and feeding them forward; comprising a suction separating griper above the pile movable toward and away from the top of the pile and also forward and rearward along the direction of feed, means for causing said gripper to suck the top sheet near its rear edge and raise it from the pile, and means for then moving said gripper first rearward and then forward.

10. A machine for separating sheets from the top of a pile and feeding them forward, comprising a suction separating gripper above the pile movable toward and away from the top of the pile and also forward and rearward along the direction of feed, means for causing said gripper to suck the top sheet near its rear edge and raise it from the pile, means for winding the top sheet, and means for then moving said gripper first rearward and then forward.

1l. A machine for separating sheets from the top of a pile one at a time and feeding them forward, comprising gripper means supported above the rear edge of the top sheet so as to be movable along the line of feed; means for causing said gripper means to grip the top sheet of paper near its rear edge; means for moving said gripper means rearward and then forward after it has gripped the top sheet, comprising actuating means having a reciprocating movement of constant extent along the line of feed for each paper feeding operation; coupling means between said actuating means and said gripper means for coupling said means in various relative positions; and means controlled by the rear edge of the sheet on its rearward movement for determining the relative position in which said gripper and actuating means will be coupled during the following forward movement.

12. A machine for separating sheets from the 

